WRITING DEVELOPMENT
Y5
Y6

Add phrases to make sentences more precise and detailed

Use range of sentence openers—judging the impact or effect needed

Begin to adapt sentence structure to text type

Use pronouns to avoid repetition

Indicate degrees of possibility using adverbs (eg perhaps, surely) or modal verbs (eg might, should, will)

Use the following to indicate parenthesis: brackets, dashes, commas

Use commas to clarify meaning or avoid ambiguity

Link clauses in sentences using a range of subordinating and coordinating conjunctions

Use verb phrases to create subtle differences (eg she began to run)

Consistently organise into paragraphs

Link ideas across paragraphs using adverbials of time (eg later) place (eg nearby) and number (eg secondly)

Use subordinate clauses to write complex sentences

Use passive voice where appropriate

Use expanded noun phrases to convey complicated information concisely

Use a sentence structure and layout matched to the requirements of the text type

Use semi-colon, colon or dash to mark the boundary between independent clauses

Use a colon to introduce a list and semi-colon within a list

Use correct punctuation of bullet points

Use hyphens to avoid ambiguity

Use full range of punctuation matched to requirements of the text type

Use a wide range of devices to build cohesion within and across paragraphs

Use paragraphs to signal change in time, scene, action, mood or person

Write legibly, fluently and with increasing speed
Finding out more…
Some good websites for developing English skills include:
Some good websites for developing English skills include:
Exploring phonics
www.phonicsplay.co.uk
Spelling
Writing
Our Vision: We
to o
elie e that rii g is a fu da e tal skill ithi the urri ulu , hi h e a les pupils to e press the sel es reai el a d i agi ai el ,
u i ate efe i el a d o ide tl
ith others a d to pari ipate full i the o
u iies a d so iet i
hi h the li e.
Subject Leader: Miss Bispham (English leader)
The National Curriculum Purpose of Study for English
“English has a pre-eminent place in education and society. A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak
and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have the chance to develop culturally, emotionally,
intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, especially, plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to aquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society; pupils, therefore, who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently and confidently are
effectively disenfranchised.”
Writing at Milton Court:
Writing is taught throughout the week during daily English lessons and across the curriculum. Writing is always
contextualised by our exciting Cornerstones topics. Our topic books and our English books are one and the same
encouraging children to think about their writing within every topic lesson, broadening and deepening
knowledge and understanding. Our English lessons often build toward a big write ensuring children have the
knowledge and skills to write confidently. Our Cornerstones curriculum ensures that lots of text-led English is
happening across the school providing children with strong models of writing. This works to embed the links between reading and writing too. We also run a text-led literacy week, once per term, to further celebrate books
and writing together as a whole school.
www.spellingcity.co.uk
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/topic-group/spelling
What we are good at:
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ks2literacy.html
* Celebrating text-led literacy.
Writing
* Steeping our writing in engaging topics, thanks to our Cornerstones curriculum.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/english/writing/
Reading
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/english/reading/
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/english-games/7-11-years/reading
Want to brainstorm your own ‘out of the box’ way to teach at home
www.pinterest.com
Free printable resources
* Having embedded procedures in place for marking and feedback for children's written work.
Things we are working on:
* Encouraging writing for pleasure through a broader range of challenges and activities i.e. pen-palls with another school.
* Using ICT to enhance our ability in writing.
* Embedding high quality marking and feedback in every year group.
WRITING DEVELOPMENT
Y1

Write clearly demarcated sentences

Use ‘and’ to join ideas

Use conjunctions to join sentences (eg so, but)

Use standard forms of verbs eg go / went

Introduce use of capital letters, full stops, question marks, exclamation marks

Use capital letters for names and personal pronoun ‘I’

Write a sequence of sentences to form a short narrative (as an introduction to writing in paragraphs)

Use the correct formation of lower case letters—finishing in right place

Use correct formation of capital letters

Use the correct formation of digits

Write different kinds of sentence: statement, question, exclamation, command
Writing in the Early Years.

Use expanded noun phrases to add description and specification
Children have open access to a writing area. They are encouraged to use a variety of resources and activities to explore mark
making and writing. Children begin formal phonic lessons in year R ensuring a strong foundation for the curriculum in year 1.

Write using subordination (when, if, that, because) and co-ordination (or, and, but)

Correct and consistent use of present tense and past tense

Correct use of verb tenses

Write with correct and consistent use of: capital letters, full stops, question marks, exclamation marks

Use commas in a list

Use apostrophe to mark omission and singular possession in nouns

Write under headings

Write lower case letters correctly sized relative to one another

Show evidence of diagonal and horizontal strokes to join

Use conjunctions (when, so, before, after, while, because)

Use adverbs (eg then, next, soon, therefore)

Use prepositions (eg before, after, during, in, because of)

Experiment with adjectives to create impact

Correctly use verbs in 1st, 2nd and 3rd person

Use perfect form of verbs to mark relationships of time and cause

Use inverted commas to punctuate direct speech

Group ideas into basic paragraphs

Write under headings and sub-headings

Write with increasing legibility, consistency and fluency

Vary sentence structure using different openers

Use adjectival phrases (eg biting cold wind)

Use appropriate choice of noun or pronoun

Use fronted adverbials

Use apostrophe for plural possession

Use a comma after a fronted adverbial (eg Later that day, I heard bad news)

Use commas to mark clauses

Use inverted commas and other punctuation to punctuate direct speech

Use paragraphs to organise ideas around a theme

Use connecting adverbs to link paragraphs

Write with increasing legibility, consistency and fluency
Non-negotiables in Writing
We look at and develop writing skills throughout our wide curriculum. As a result, we cover the Early Years and National
Curriculum requirements and go further to extend children’s knowledge and understanding. Underpinning our curriculum
delivery throughout years 1-6 are non-negotiable skills that we ensure are taught, embedded and applied in each year
group. Our aim is that every child has a firm understanding of these key skills within their year group expectations as a minimum.
In the Early Years Writing is looked at through….
Key skill expectations for each year group are shown below.
Y2
THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM
KS1 & The programmes of study for writing at key stages 1 and 2 are constructed similarly to those for reading:
KS2


Transcription (spelling and handwriting)
Composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing)
Y3
It is essential that teaching develops pupils competence in these two dimensions. In addition, pupils should be taught
how to plan, revise and evaluate their writing. These aspects of writing have been incorporated into the programmes
of study for composition.
Writing down ideas fluently depends on effective transcription: that is, on spelling quickly and accurately through
knowing the relationship between sounds and letters (phonics) and understanding the morphology (word structure)
and orthography (spelling structure) of words. Effective composition involves forming, articulating and communicating ideas, and then organising them coherently for a reader. This requires clarity, awareness od the audience, purpose and context, and an increasingly wide knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. Writing also depends on fluent,
legible and, eventually, speedy handwriting.
Y4